Windmill.



No. 797,140. PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905. W. F MILLER.

WINDMILL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8. 1904.

William F. Miller $16 M fl= mcnsw a, swan-x cov moium'noanwuius WAMINIJUH u c.

s'rans ATLNT I I IME.

WILLIAM I MILLER, OF STILESVILLE, INDIANA, ASfdIG-NOR OF ONE- HALF TO ELMER E. MILLER, OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO.

WH IDWIILLM Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, I905.

To (LZZ whom, it vita/ concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stilesville, in the county of Hendricks and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Windmills, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

In the ordinary type of windmill in which the motor-wheel rotates in a vertical plane the amount of power to be developed is necessarily limited by reason of the impracticability of adequately supporting Wheels of eX- tremcly large diameter, as supports for this type of wheel are necessarily of considerable height in order that the comparatively small wheel may lie above usual obstructions.

The object of my present invention is to produce a windmill the essential feature of which consists in a power-wheel rotating in a horizontal plane and provided with movable vanes which will automatically close and open as the wheel revolves, the construction being such that the wheel will always rotate in the same direction irrespective of the direction of the wind.

A further object of my invention is to so arrange a pair or more of such wheels that they will rotate in opposite directions to drive a single shaft, thereby equalizing the driving force.

A further object of my invention is to provide speed-controlled means for governing the speed of the wheels.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

I igure 1 is a central vertical section of an apparatus embodying my invention with the wind supposed to be from right to left parallel with the plane of the section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the wind supposed to be directly toward the observer, and Fig. 3 a sectional detail of one of the pairs of vanes.

In the drawings, 10 indicates a main vertical shaft mounted in suitable bearings in a frame and provided at its lower end with a beveled gear 11. {Sleeved upon shaft 10 is a tubular shaft 12, which at its lower end is provided with a beveled gear 13. The two beveled gears 11 and 13 mesh with a beveled gear 14, carried by a horizontal shaft 15, which is mounted. in suitable bearings on the siq'Jporting-frame and which is the powershaft of the mill.

Secured to the upper end of shaft 10 is a wind-wheel 16, and secured to sleeve 12 below wheel 16 is a similar wheel 17, the construction of the two wheels being identical, except that the position of the vanes in one wheel is the reverse of that in the other. Each wheel consists of a central hub 18 and an outer ring 19, connected to the hub by suitable arms 20. Iivoted upon substantially horizontal axes between hub 18 and ring19 are several pairs of vanes 21 and 21, the axis of each being along a medial line z'. a, a line between the edges of the vane. In order that the vanes may be set as closely together as possible, it is preferable that each member 21 and 21 be tapered and placed with its narrower end toward the center of the wheel. In order to produce simultaneous motion of the vanes in opposite directions about their axes, I connect each pair of vanes by a link 22, which is pivoted to one vane upon one side of its axis and pivoted to the other vane upon the opposite side of its axis, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

In operation wind striking the two wheels from any direction will cause the vanes 21 and 21 upon one side of the center of one wheel and upon the other side of the center of the other wheel to swing open, and thus catch the breeze and cause the wheels to turn. As each wheel is turned the backs of the vanes are brought around in line with the breeze, and the breeze then operates to swing the vanes down, as shown on the right of wheel 17 in Fig. 2 and the left of wheel 16, the vanes thus offering a minimum of resistance.

In operation when there is only a light load on the main shaft and a consequent light resistance to the rotation of the wind-wheels I find that the vanes will pass considerably beyond the line of the wind before opening, but that if resistance is offered the speed of the wheels is very slightly checked and the vanes open more quickly. Because of this the device is practically self-governing. In order, however, to provide means by which the mill can be stopped and by which it may be positively speed-controlled, I provide a governor. This governor consists of a disk or ring 23, which is splined upon hub 18 of wheel 17 between the two wind-wheels, and a disk or ring 24, splined upon the hub 18 of wheel 16. The two disks or rings are of such diameter that they may be brought into engagement with the inner ends of the upper vanes 21 of the wind-wheel 17 and the lower vanes 21 of the wind-wheel 16. Fixed upon hub 18 of wheel 17 between the two disks 23 and 2A is a hub 25. provided with pairs of radiating arms 26, between each pair of which is pivoted a lever 27. The opposite ends of lever 27 are connected by links 28 and 29 With the disk 23 and a splincd collar, 29 respectively, and collar 29 engages the hub of disk 24. Each lever 27 carries a weight 30, which upon an increase of speed of the sleeve 12 will swing outward and upward, so as to swing its lever 27, and thus push disk 23 down and disk 2A up into engagement with the adjacent vanes 21 and prevent them from swinging open to their full extent. Pivoted to disk 23 and extending down through the hub of wheel 17 are links 81, the lever ends of which areconnected to a sliding collar 32, splined on sleeve 12. Collar 32 is provided With a flange 33, adapted to be engaged by a yoke 3st, carried by a hand-lever 35, the arrangement being such that the two disks 23 and 24C may be thrown into engagement with the vanes by pulling down upon lever 35.

I claim as my invention 1. A windmill consisting of, a main body rotatable in a substantially horizontal plane, and a plurality of pairs of vanes hinged each upon a medial line and directly connected in pairs for simultaneous opposite movement, for the purpose set forth.

2. A windmill consisting of; a pair of coaxial wind-wheels each consisting of a main body rotatable in a substantially horizontal plane and each provided with a plurality of pairs of swinging vanes; intermediate connections between each pair of vanes to cause simultaneous movement in opposite directions about their axes, and the vanes in one wheel arranged oppositely to those of the other wheel; the main power-shaft; and intermediate gearing between both wheels and the power-shaft for driving the power-shaft in one direction by the oppositely-moving wind- Wheels.

3. A windmill consisting of; a pair of coaxial wind-wheels each consisting of a main body rotatable in a substantially horizontal plane and each provided with a plurality of pairs of swinging vanes; each vane pivoted upon a medial substantially radial axis; intermediate connections between each pair of vanes to cause simultaneous movement in opposite directions about their axes, and the vanes in one wheel arranged oppositely to those of the other wheel; the main powershaft; and intermediate gearing between both wheels and the power-shaft for driving the power-shaft in one direction by the oppositelymoving wind-wheels.

a. A windmill consisting of a pair of coaxial wind-wheels each consisting of a main body rotatable in a substantially horizontal plane and provided with a plurality of pairs of vanes; intermediate connections between each pair of vanes to cause simultaneous movement in opposite directions about their axes, and the vanes in one wheel arranged oppositely to those of the other wheel; the main power-shaft; intermediate gearing between both wheels and the power-shaft for driving the power-shaft in one direction by the oppositely-moving wind-wheels; and speed-controlled means for engaging the vanes of the two wheels at times to prevent complete opening of the same.

5. A windmill consisting of, a main body rotatable in a substantially horizontal plane, a plurality of pairs of vanes hinged each upon a medial line and directly connected in pairs for simultaneous opposite movement, and speed-controlled means for engaging the vanes at times to prevent complete opening of the same, for the purpose set forth.

6. A windmill consisting of, a pair of coaxial main bodies rotatable in substantially horizontal planes, a plurality of pairs of vanes carried by each main body, and each vane pivoted upon a medial axis, aweighted governorlever, a pair of disks, one arranged adjacent the vanes of each body, and a pair of links connectingsaid governor-lever with said disks to produce axial movement thereof, for the purpose set forth.

'7. A windmill consisting of, a pair of coaxial main bodies rotatable in substantially horizontal planes, a weighted governor-lever, a pair of disks, one arranged adjacent the vanes of each wheel, and a pair of links connecting said governor-lever with said disks to produce axial movement thereof, for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 2d day of August, A. D. 1904.

. IVILLIAM F. MILLER.

IVitnesses:

ARTHUR M. Hoon, Jiums A. IVALsH. 

